SAN DIEGO, Calif. --The Santa Clara University softball team earned two victories this afternoon in Pacific Coast Softball Conference play, topping San Diego 3-1 and 7-1 in San Diego. Santa Clara improves to 24-23, 10-4, while the Toreros fall to 16-28, 3-11.
In the first game, Santa Clara put their first run on the board in the top of the second. Sophomore Liz Courter reached first on a fielder's choice and was quickly moved to second when a pitch hit senior Jaime Forman-Lau. Junior Keri Reisinger moved the runners forward with a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Jenny Brown then singled through the left side scoring Courter.
The Broncos added a run in the top of the third off a solo shot over the centerfield fence by sophomore Jessica Clee. They added their final run in the top of the fourth inning to give them a three-run lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, San Diego made one last attempt to catch the Broncos, managing to push one run across the plate.
Forman-Lau recorded the win for the Broncos, striking out 11 Toreros' batters and allowed only six hits. She ends the day 20-16. Anna Russell took the loss for San Diego, and falls to 9-7.
In the second game, the Broncos took the early lead over San Diego scoring three runs in the top of the first. The inning started as lead off batter Brown was walked and moved to third on a single up the middle by junior Vanessa Werner. Werner promptly stole second. Bases were loaded when Clee reached first after being hit by a pitch. Senior Rachel Sherman then doubled to left center driving in Brown and Werner. Freshman Angela Kabanuck allowed the final run of the inning to score off a deep fly ball to right field enabling Clee to score.
Santa Clara added three more runs in the top of the fifth and one run in the top of the seventh. Sherman recorded a double and a triple in the game, while sophomore Shannon Linerud recorded a double.
San Diego's sole run of the game came in the bottom of the second.
Courter takes the win for the Broncos and concludes the day 4-7. Christina Haake recorded the loss for the Toreros and falls to 3-9.
Santa Clara will remain in San Diego for another doubleheader on Sunday at noon. The Broncos will remain on the road and close out the PCSC season at Sacramento State next weekend.
